Blackout Night - Try it!

Blackout Night - Try it!

31 Aug 2014

A typical night at home consists of all different types of technology. Whether it be a phone, an iPad, a laptop or the TV, one of us is always using it. When there is a power cut it shows just how reliant on technology we are. We are lost, not sure what to do with ourselves and quickly become very bored and agitated. Eyes glued to technology generally means we are not spending quality time with one another. Even when watching a film, at some point throughout one of us will be on our phone checking twitter and what not.

On the first of every month, my boyfriend and I have decided to have what's called "a black out night". Inspired by Hannah Maggs, a black out night consists of no technology. That means no TV, no phones, no internet, just the chance to enjoy one anothers company. On our first black out night we played music (that's the only exception to the technology rule) drank wine and played card games all night. It was surprisingly enjoyable not having any access to the internet for one evening (a bit of a rarity these days)! Play board games, read, become a child for the night and build a fort, draw, paint, the choice is endless!

Tomorrow night will be our second ever black out night and I have to say, I can't wait. It's refreshing to take a step back from technology and realize what's important in your life. It's not what's happened in the latest episode of Made In Chelsea or what is happening on Facebook or Twitter, but friends and loved ones. Those special times are what you will remember in the future.

I dare you all to have a technology free evening and see what you think!

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Mahogany Teakwood Bath & Body Works Candle

Mahogany Teakwood Bath & Body Works Candle

28 Aug 2014

Bath & Body Work Candle in Mahogany Teakwood | $22.50

Bath & Body Works candles are a must when visiting the U.S.A, so when I travelled to New York I made sure that it was on my list of things to buy. This was my first time in a Bath & Body Works store and it reminds me a little of The Body Shop with all the shower gels, fragrances and body cream, except they sell candles!

Having sniffed my way through all the different candles, I decided I wanted something a little different and Mahogany Teakwood really stood out. Described as "Reveling in the cozy fine woods fragrances of mahogany, cedarwood and oak, highlighted by delicate lavender and geranium notes." I describe it as Abercrombie and Fitch and boy does it smell amazing. It reminds me of stepping into an Abercrombie and Fitch store, which although I wouldn't describe as my favourite experience, I have to admit I do love the scent.

When burning the house fills with an aftershave like aroma that is not overwhelming but soft and pleasant. This has quickly become my favourite candle, it's just a shame it isn't readily available in the UK. At $22.50, they are not cheap but not overly expensive either, and they are generally on some kind of offer making them so much cheaper!

What is your favourite candle?

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Chill* ed Blonde Products

Chill* ed Blonde Products

25 Aug 2014

 Chill* ed Blonde Shampoo, Conditioner & Serum* | £9.99-£14.99

If you have blonde hair you will know how important it is to have a good purple shampoo and conditioner. The Chill* ed Blonde range has been created specifically for blonde hair, whether it is natural or chemically treated, to tone down unwanted brassy or yellow tones. A key ingredient in both is grape seed oil, which has many great benefits for your hair. It is very moisturising, helps to strengthen your hair, reduces dandruff and even helps your hair grow. The shampoo also contins hydrolysed proteins, which makes it easier for the hair to absorb the product meaning greater benefits. Both are a purple colour, which is what helps to tone down those unwanted colours.

I have to say, the shampoo is not my favourite. It did not foam up very easily so I had to pair it with another shampoo to produce more foam. It also felt quite drying when first applied and my hair became a tangled mess. However, paired with the conditioner it is lovely and I am in certainly in love with the results.  The conditioner is very rich and moisturising and leaves my hair looking soft and shiny. There is no sign of brassiness and it smells amazing (which lingers once dry). At £9.99 each they are not the cheapest products however I would highly recommend the conditioner if you are after something that is super moisturising. As for the shampoo, I think I will stick to my trusty Touch of Silver Twice a Week Brightening Shampoo.

The real gem of the range is the Chill* ed Lush Blonde Oil/Serum. I have never used a serum specifically designed for blonde hair and I can definitely see the benefits. It can be applied to wet hair to help detangle and tame fly aways, or dry hair to calm dry hair and give shine. I have yet to see the detangling effects, but my hair is certainly softer. You only need one pump and it does not leave any tackiness once dry. At £14.99 I think it is reasonably priced when compared to other hair serums and has the benefits of the purple colour to tone down the unwanted colours.

What are your favourite products for blonde hair?

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MAC Jete Eye Shadow

MAC Jete Eye Shadow

22 Aug 2014

MAC Jete Eyeshadow | £13.00

Jete was one of the first MAC eye shadows that I owned and isn't it just beautiful? It is described as a frosted pinky peach with a Veluxe Pearl finish. It has a very soft texture, making it easy to apply, and as you can see the pigmentation is great. Hinting on the coral side, Jete looks great with blue eyes, either as a simple wash of colour on the lid, or in the inner corner of your eye, but also looks great on any skin tone and eye colour.

Originally released in 2006 as part of the Danse collection it was re-released in 2012 and unfortunately it is no longer available.  However, I have read that MAC Jest is a good dupe for this, which is a part of the permanent collection or Urban Decay Scratch.

What was your first MAC eyeshadow?

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Currently Reading : The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Currently Reading : The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

19 Aug 2014

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Liesel is a young girl living in Nazi Germany during World War 2. Her mother has been taken away to a concentration camp and she is now living with her foster parents, Hans and Rosa, who are hiding a Jewish man in the basement. Liesel loves to read, and will take any opportunity she can to steal a book.

"This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall."

This book is beautifully written and takes you through a perspective of WW2 that we don't often see - the lives of 'ordinary Germans' who are suffering as a result of the war. Once you start, this book is hard to put down. I will definitely be interested in watching the film once I have finished the book. Let me know what you thought of the book if you have read it.

What are you currently reading?

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The British Tag

The British Tag

16 Aug 2014

I have seen ‘The British Tag’ circulating around blogs and YouTube recently and thought I would take part! I always enjoy reading other bloggers answers, so please share with me if you have done it! Enjoy :)

1. How many cups of tea do you have a day and how many sugars?
I do not drink tea! I never have, however I am trying to get into fruit tea. I’m not a big hot drink drinker and so I find the idea of drink a hot fruit drink a little odd. I do however love Ice Tea and any cold drinks with white tea etc.

2. What is your favourite part of a roast?
I absolutely love roasts and I enjoy every single bit of it. However, I would have to say it’s the vegetables and roast potatoes! I pile on so much veggies and potatoes that you usually can’t see the meat. Now I’m craving a roast dinner..

3.What is your favourite dunking biscuit?
Since I don’t drink tea, and nor does my partner, I rarely dip biscuits. However, when I do it has to be a rich tea or a digestive (chocolate or plain). They are my absolute favourites - I'm actually eating a digestive right now <3

4. What is your favourite quintessentially British pass time?
I love going on country walks. It’s nice to get away from everything, the city, and take in the beautiful scenery and fresh air. I would love to go for a walk every weekend if I had the time, but unfortunately it’s a bit of a rarity these days.

5. What is your favourite word?
Uhhhh…I’m not sure I really have a favourite word. I say literally a lot, way too much in fact. But I do actually like saying the word supoib, it reminds me of a New Yoik accent.

6. Cockney rhyming slang?
I know a few like ‘Apple and Pears’ and ‘Barney Rubble' but I definitely do not use them in everyday talk.

7. What is your favourite sweet?
I love Rhubarb and Custard boiled sweets and the blue and pink fizzy bottles. I definitely have a sweet tooth and I am literally like a kid in a sweet shop when filling a bag with sweets.

8. What would your pub be called?
This is a hard one! I think I would like it to be something nice and traditional like The White Horse or The Rose and Crown. I would love to own a nice country pub with a big beer garden that sells lots of nice traditional pub food and drink.

9. Who is your No.1 British person?
I instantly thought of Kate Middleton. I am oh so jealous of her hair and she always looks so classy and beautiful.

10. What is your favourite shop and restaurant?
My favourite British Shop would be any of the cute little Shabby Chic shops you find in little towns. They always sell such pretty items for the home and I love to look around even if I don’t buy anything. In terms of restaurants, I would have to say curry houses! Now I know they are not really British, but Indians in Britain are very very popular and you can’t beat a good curry.

11. What British song pops into your head?
Mumford & Sons – I Will Wait. 

12. Marmite?
Yuck. Not for me!

I tag all of you who read this!

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The Purple Salon Soho, London

The Purple Salon Soho, London

13 Aug 2014

The Purple Salon Soho Shampoo and Blow dry* | £25-£30

When I first moved to London I was apprehensive about trying out a new hair salon. I had been to two different salons, and have yet to find a place I feel comfortable and confident in the hair dressers. A few months back I was kindly offered the chance to go and get my hair blow dried at The Purple Salon in Soho.  Having never been to the hairdressers to specifically get my hair blow dried, I jumped at the chance. So one evening after work I headed over and was greeted by the lovely Karl. I can confidently say that The Purple Salon is a place I would recommend.

Firstly I was as taken to the wash station and sat in one of the most comfortable chairs I have sat in at a hairdressers. I sometimes struggle with the chairs as they get so uncomfortable around your neck that it is actually painful! But I felt like I could go to sleep in these. I was then taken to the chair for my blow dry and was offered the usual drink and magazines (always a necessity at a hair salon!). My stylist for the evening, Karl, discussed with me what I would like done and I explained how my hair rarely holds style (even the Enrapture hair rollers made no difference to my hair). I wanted something that looked natural and flicked out at the bottom.

Before drying Karl applied some MorrocanOil (my fave!) and some other products to help with volume. I had two people working on my hair at once, blow drying my hair, putting the rollers in and taking them out. Karl explained that my layers needed to be a few inches shorter to have better results, however I was very pleased with how it turned out considering. As you can see, the final result looks very natural (bearing in mind this was taken a good few hours after my hair was styled) and looks SO much better than before. All the staff were very professional, friendly and I felt right at home and would certainly go back for other treatments. Overall A++ to The Purple Salon.

What do you look for in a good hairdresser?

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Town Talk Exquisite Silver Sparkle Cleaner

Town Talk Exquisite Silver Sparkle Cleaner

10 Aug 2014

Town Talk Exquisite Silver Sparkle | £3.99

For the past few months I have been unable to wear my Thomas Sabo charm bracelet due to the tarnish that has appeared  - as you can see it has turned a dull black silver that really isn’t pleasant. This usually occurs when the silver reacts with hydrogen sulphide or sulphur in the air, causing the silver to dull. I was therefore on the hunt for a silver cleaner and found the Town Talk Exquisite silver sparkle dip (what a mouth full!) in Argos for just £3.99.

It is so simple to use, I just placed the bracelet in the basket and submerged it into the pot for around two minutes. Once removed I could instantly see a difference, the tarnish had gone. I then rinsed it under cold water and dried it with a cloth. Included in the pack is a little brush for more stubborn tarnish, and a cloth to buff the silver. I really think the pictures speak louder than words, you can really see a difference before and after. The silver is so bright and shiny. For £3.99 you cannot go wrong (they also do the same product but for gold jewellery).

How do you clean your jewellery?

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Benefit They're Real! Push-up liner and Remover

Benefit They're Real! Push-up liner and Remover

7 Aug 2014

Benefit They're Real Push-up Liner* | £18.50

There has been a lot of hype around the new releases from Benefit; They’re Real Push-up Liner and They’re Real Remover (an extension to their bestselling mascara). Now, eyeliner is the makeup item I struggle with the most - I am an amateur to winged eyeliner and I rarely use liquid eyeliner as I don’t have the patience.

The Benefit They’re Real Push-up Liner combines the gel pot eyeliner with the brush, into a pen. The AccuFlex tip, which has a slanted edge, makes it easy to stick close to your lash line (this is what I usually struggle with most!) and because it is flexible it does not irritate or scratch my eyes. This matte jet black liner is creamy but dry and can produce a thin or thick line depending on how you place the product.

Once applied, this liner is budge proof and will stay put all day long, no matter how much you try and rub it off. You do not want to make a mistake, otherwise you will have to remove it all and start again. The key to a good application is to twist the bottom of the liner once only. You may not see the gel, but trust me it is there. If you twist it more than once you will find the line is much thicker and harder to manage. Then apply the liner bit by bit, rather than trying to apply one line from start to finish. Also, ensure you wipe the tip after use, to remove any excess product that would otherwise dry out.

Benefit They're Real Remover* | £14.50

To remove said product you really need to use an oil based cleaner, otherwise you will end up with sore eyes from rubbing them so much. If I am honest, I wasn’t so excited about trying the Benefit They’re Real Remover, however it truly is a godsend. It will remove just about anything with very little effort. I just massage the product into my eyes then remove with warm water. It does not tug, nor irritate your eyes and it leaves your skin feeling soft and moisturised.

Both are highly recommended; the liner for its staying power and ease of use and the eye make-up remover for its effectiveness. The liner is a good tool to practice your winged eyeliner as the tip guides you, even for newbies like me! And the eye make-up remover is a must if you use a lot of waterproof products and want a simple and effective way to remove them.

Have you tried these products? What did you think?

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My July in Pictures

My July in Pictures

4 Aug 2014

Holiday nails | Spanish Beach | Sex on the Beach Cocktails | Vichy Event | Crazy Golf at lunch | Favourite type of crisps | The Clinique Chubby Sticks do exist! | So…? Christmas Event | Paul & Joe Lipsticks

It has been quite a quiet June in terms on Instagram! The first part I was in Spain (how beautiful is that beach might I add?) then since coming home we have been working on he flat getting it the way we want. I have been to a few blogging event, I can't believe the Christmas events have started already! I was also very pleased to find Glamour with a Clinique chubby stick! After looking in many shops I managed to find it as I was walking past a WHSmith <3 I got the shade 'whooping watermelon' which I absolutely love as an everyday lip. This month I will try and be more active.

If you have Instagram please do follow me and let me know so I can follow you back :)

What have you been up to this month?

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Meet my August Advertisers

Meet my August Advertisers

1 Aug 2014

Who else is extremely happy that it is Friday? I know I am! I am going shopping tomorrow to pick up a few things and hopefully I will get some blog posts drafted :) I haven't had new advertisers for a while now, mostly because of the time off I had. But this month I have 4 new amazing advertisers that I would love to share with you! This month I have the lovely Lisa, Clarice, Nickki and Alexandra sitting on my blog, so please do check them out and let me know what you think!

FrenzyHouse is a new shop for quirky gifts and cool Homewares. We have a passion for product and anything Designed and Made in the UK. We pride ourselves in showcasing small producers and like anything with the power to create a smile!! From stunning fragranced candles to Hand sewn Retro make-up and eye catching Mugs and textiles for your kitchen – all of it lovingly put together by local Designers who put a dollop of humour in the things they make! We are also home to some amazing Soundwave Voice Art which allows you to create a totally unique and personalised gift – freezing a sound or a message in time allowing you to create a beautiful memory. So if you’re looking for something a little bit different to treat yourself or give as a gift take a visit to FrenzyHouse.

http://www.frenzyhouse.com | https://twitter.com/Frenzy_House 
https://www.facebook.com/Frenzyhouse | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz0YiT9ICP4

Hello , my name is Clarice and I’m crazy about fashion and a huge fragrance nerd. My chat with my friends, when I always offer them advices related their outfits led me to found my blog (magazine) http://latesttrendfashion.com. I had the chance to travel in many countries around Europe, Asia and South America and made contact with many culture and styles. I hope my experience and my passion for fashion to be helpful.

http://latesttrendfashion.com/ | https://twitter.com/latesttrendfash

Hello beautiful! My blog Keeping Up With Coco is dedicated to fashion/lifestyle/beauty! I'm all for women and girls living a beautiful, healthy and fun lifestyle. Here are all my links so you can check out my blog also mention that you found me through Carissa's blog!

http://kuwcoco.blogspot.com | https://twitter.com/KUWCoco | http://instagram.com/kuwcoco 
http://www.pinterest.com/kuwcoco/ | http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11424069

Hi everyone, I'm Alexandra and I blog over at Sweet Dreams. I love spending my time blogging, so you can expect lots of regular posts all about beauty, fashion, lifestyle and lots more. I currently have a themed wish list post each week, so pop back to see which theme I'll have this week! I'd love if you took a second to check out my blog - I hope you like it! Let me know what you think and hope to see you over there!

http://www.sweetdreamsbeauty.co.uk  | https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11257263 | http://instagram.com/sweetdreamsblog

https://twitter.com/sweetdreamsxox | http://pinterest.com/sweetdreamsblog

I hope you find some new favourites! Let me know if you do :)

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